Fluoride
Nellis Air Force Base
Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.
Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. EPA's maximum legal limit is set at 4 parts per million (ppm) to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more susceptible to fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.554 ppm | 14 | 14 | 0.250 ppm - 0.710 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.633 ppm | 14 | 14 | 0.500 ppm - 0.690 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.651 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.480 ppm - 0.679 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.683 ppm | 17 | 17 | 0.202 ppm - 0.764 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.713 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.683 ppm - 0.729 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.676 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.175 ppm - 0.753 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-03-11 | 14030149-001 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | 14030148-001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | 14030148-002 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | 14030148-003 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | 14030149-002 | 0.250 ppm |
| 2014-06-17 | 14060383-001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2014-06-17 | 14060383-002 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2014-06-17 | 14060383-003 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 14090137-001 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 14090137-002 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 14090137-003 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2014-12-09 | 14120178-002 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2014-12-09 | 14120178-001 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2014-12-09 | 14120178-003 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 15030161-002 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 15030161-001 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 15030163-003 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 15030163-002 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 15030163-001 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2015-06-09 | 15060154-003 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-06-09 | 15060154-002 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-06-09 | 15060154-001 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 15090071-003 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 15090071-002 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 15090071-001 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-12-08 | 15120110-003 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2015-12-08 | 15120110-002 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2015-12-08 | 15120110-001 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2016-03-08 | 16030113-002 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2016-03-08 | 16030114-001 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2016-03-08 | 16030113-003 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2016-03-08 | 16030113-001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2016-06-14 | S1602250003 | 0.674 ppm |
| 2016-06-14 | S1602250002 | 0.674 ppm |
| 2016-06-14 | S1602250001 | 0.678 ppm |
| 2016-09-13 | S1602469001 | 0.659 ppm |
| 2016-09-13 | S1602469002 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2016-09-13 | S1602469003 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2016-12-27 | S1604872001 | 0.675 ppm |
| 2016-12-27 | S1604872002 | 0.675 ppm |
| 2016-12-27 | S1604872003 | 0.679 ppm |
| 2017-03-14 | S1701504001 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2017-03-14 | S1701504002 | 0.669 ppm |
| 2017-03-14 | S1701504003 | 0.659 ppm |
| 2017-06-19 | S1701780001 | 0.757 ppm |
| 2017-06-19 | S1701780002 | 0.757 ppm |
| 2017-06-19 | S1701780003 | 0.764 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | S1704298001 | 0.731 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | S1704298002 | 0.719 ppm |
| 2017-09-05 | S1704298003 | 0.725 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | S1706376001 | 0.747 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | S1706376002 | 0.744 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | S1706376003 | 0.726 ppm |
| 2017-11-07 | S1707816001 | 0.202 ppm |
| 2017-11-07 | S1707816002 | 0.624 ppm |
| 2017-12-12 | S1706758001 | 0.714 ppm |
| 2017-12-12 | S1706758002 | 0.702 ppm |
| 2017-12-12 | S1706758003 | 0.702 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | S1708773003 | 0.709 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | S1708773002 | 0.726 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | S1708773001 | 0.729 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | S1801948003 | 0.714 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | S1801948001 | 0.717 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | S1801948002 | 0.723 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | S1803967001 | 0.715 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | S1803967002 | 0.715 ppm |
| 2018-09-11 | S1803967003 | 0.721 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | S1806334001 | 0.704 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | S1806334002 | 0.683 ppm |
| 2018-12-12 | S1806334003 | 0.704 ppm |
| 2019-03-12 | S1902059001 | 0.753 ppm |
| 2019-03-12 | S1902059002 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2019-03-12 | S1902059003 | 0.725 ppm |
| 2019-03-12 | S1903309001 | 0.175 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | S1912464001 | 0.738 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | S1912464002 | 0.690 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | S1912464003 | 0.624 ppm |
| 2019-09-12 | S1927419001 | 0.726 ppm |
| 2019-09-12 | S1927419003 | 0.689 ppm |
| 2019-09-17 | S1927684001 | 0.736 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | S1926346006 | 0.718 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | S1926346005 | 0.724 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | S1926346004 | 0.734 ppm |